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National Archives Iran, 1964-1979

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National Archives Iran, 1964-1979 www.markcurtis.info National Archives Iran, 1964-1979 FO 1110/1770 Ann Elwell, handwritten note, 12 May 1964 “I know... that General Pakravan (the head of SAVAK) is anxious for Dr Zehtab to learn more about our unattributable publicity activities”. Therefore suggests to suggest to Elliott in Tehran to invite him to UK. Could arrange for him to see the BBC, St Anthony's, the Central Asian Research Centre and the COI and to spend time in IRD. “I know that there is a feeling that these types of visits are more trouble than they are worth. It is however important to us to keep the Iranian Security Service happy and I think we should at least be able to consolidate our good relations with them by inviting Dr Zehtab”. Michael Elliott, embassy Tehran to Ann Elwell, IRD, 30 May 1964 “They [SAVAK] have asked us if we can supply the names of some firms in London which would undertake the task of publicising the Iranian image abroad, with a little tourist promotion work as a sideline”. He suggests this be taken forward. Iran could pay up to £50,000 a month. Denis Wright, Ambassador, Tehran to Leslie Glass, Foreign Office, 4 June 1964 “The [IRD] material for unattributable use by the press and radio is at the moment channelled through SAVAK (The Iranian Security Service). Some of it reaches SAVAK direct from the CSO in Ankara; other material... is passed on by us”. Ann Elwell to Michael Elliott, 24 June 1964 Reply to above. Has been discussed with Colman Prentis and Varley, one of the biggest UK advertising agencies. Iran not mentioned, just a country. As part of the package they could offer sponsored visits by travel writers, a campaign among travel agents, special invitations to TV and radio reporting groups etc. 1 Leslie Glass to Denis Wright, 2 July 1964 “In general we feel that the cooperation you maintain with SAVAK both directly and through the CSO is satisfactory and effective. We quite understand that the situation in the last two years has resulted in less demand for blatantly anti-Soviet material in Iran... I hope... you will not fail to let us know when you think there is anything we can usefully provide. We are particularly keen to get ideas for the sort of themes and arguments which would be effective locally'. Michael Elliott to Ann Elwell, 10 July 1964 Reply to above. “SAVAK were delighted with the facts you provided and would like to discuss details with Colman Prentis and Varley”. Michael Elliott to Ann Elwell, 6 November 1964 Zehtab visited in October. “There is no doubt that the visit was a success and that Zehtab obtained real benefit... from it. He speaks with great enthusiasm of the work being done by IRD”. Leslie Glass, Foreign Office, minute, 7 December 1964 Notes he had lunch today with General Pakravan, dep premier of Iran and head of SAVAK, “with which service IRD has cooperated for some years both in CENTO and bilaterally. IRD collaboration seems to be working all right...” Ann Elwell, IRD, Foreign Office, minute, 7 December 1964 “For some years IRD has collaborated with SAVAK... both in the CENTO context and bilaterally… SAVAK has a long history of successful work against the Tudeh (Iranian Communist) Party, using sophisticated counter-espionage and counter-propaganda techniques… The Counter-Subversion Committee [of CENTO] directs the activities of a permanent body in Ankara, the Counter-Subversion Office, of which the Deputy Secretary-general is the Iranian representative, Colonel Negahbani, a member of SAVAK. The UK representative is an IRD officer, Mr Harry Spence, with an IRD assistant, Miss Ruth Bateman. The office receives most of IRD’s output, and spends its funds on book translation, articles for the press and counter-subversive propaganda work of various kinds. Two Turkish, one Iranian and one Pakistani member of the Office paid a study visit to the UK, organised by IRD, earlier this year. We also deal with General Pakravan's service bilaterally, and in doing so Eastern Department have no objection to our discussing the UAR subversive threat. In our embassy in Tehran the Assistant Information Officer is responsible for doing IRD work in consultation with one of General Pakravan's deputies, Dr Zehtab, who spent ten days in the UK at IRD's expense in October this year and was shown a great deal of IRD's activities... It may appear that we devote rather more IRD attention to Iran and CENTO than is justified by the known results. But Iran is an important country 2 to us, strategically and economically, and CENTO is the only Western alliance of which she is a member. Eastern Department certainly look with benevolent approval on the Department's good relations with General Pakravan, who is close to the Shah. They hope that what we are able to do for the Iranians in the way of helping them with their own public relations work and discussing their counter- subversive problems with them may go some way towards offsetting occasional Anglo-American churlishness in other CENTO fields of activity”. March 1965 – Shah visits UK, Queen and Prime Minister Wilson March 1970 – Cabinet approves the sale of 250 chieftain tanks to Iran FCO 17/1724 FCO brief, 'Secretary of State's talks in Tehran', 19 March 1972 A brief for Alec Douglas-Home. “Iran is an ally and we regard her as a stabilising factor in the region… Power rests with the Shah. Half the members of the Senate are nominated by him; the remaining 30 members, who are elected, and the 268 members of the Majles (Lower House), also elected, are carefully vetted by him. Ministers hold office at his pleasure and he exercises a close and authoritative control over day-to-day affairs… There is little prospect of the Shah's regime being overthrown”. FCO 8 / 1882 Peter Ramsbotham, ambassador, Tehran, 'Unrest in Iran', 17 June 1972 The last year and a half has seen the beginning of guerilla-type opposition to the regime, including bombings by the Freedom Movement with ties to Iraq, but also student unrest. Notes causes of student unrest and intellectual discontent such as a chaotic higher education system, shortage of teachers and “above all, political frustration with the Shah's autocratic rule”. Also notes religious fundamentalists who want a return to pure Islam, encouraged by Ayatollah Khomeini. “The unrest raises questions about Iran's long-term position as a bastion of stability in the Middle East. In the short term we need not be unduly worried. The establishment is behind the regime”. In next 5-6 years there is unlikely to be any upset to Iran's stability. But in the long term, “it may be that we shall have to consider whether we can or should warn the Shah of the possible consequences of the continuation of the present system of government, without greater flexibility, delegation of authority and political freedom”. 3 B.Smith, Middle East Department, FCO, minute, 16 June 1972 Notes Ramsbotham's estimate of stability for next six years or so. “But the first step on the road from dictatorship to genuine democracy is an enormous one which so far the Shah does not seem able to envisage... We should bear in mind that by 1978 we shall just about complete delivery of the 800 Chieftains, plus whatever other sophisticated equipment the Shah may order (including perhaps a gun and ammunition factory). All this equipment could be in the hands of a revolutionary government”. Peter Ramsbotham, 'The survival of the Persian monarchy', 8 June 1972 The Shah has achieved a lot in economic development but there is rising discontent especially due to “the inefficiencies of administration and the inequalities of national wealth.” “The Shah is becoming increasingly autocratic... and every year the Shah is taking more power into his own hands… Instead of leaders of character, he is breeding a coterie of toadies and frightened functionaries”. This is not to say that Iran will soon see a revolutionary situation though these dangers may be greater in six or so years’ time than now. FCO 46 / 806 Chiefs of Staff committee, 'Defence cooperation with Iran', 12 October 1972 Nearly 800 Iranian officers attended courses in the UK in 1972. Eight UK officers and 80 NCOs are currently in Iran in a training advisory capacity. Chiefs of Staff committee, 'Military assistance to Iran', 21 August 1972 “The UK regards Iran as an important ally both economically and because she is a major oil producer who is prepared to guarantee supplies to the West at stable prices, and strategically for her pro-Western stance most practically demonstrated by the continued existence of the military air route across Iran to the Far East.... It is clearly in the UK's interests to support the Shah”. FCO 8 / 1885 Alec Douglas-Home, Foreign Secretary to embassy, Tehran, 11 December 1972 On the book by Sharpe. “Head of Middle East today expressed regret to the Iranian embassy about this publication and gave an assurance that the views in the book in 4 no way reflected official policy”. Sharpe is a grade 10 officer working at Wilton Park. “We have merely told the Iranians that she ‘appears to be a very junior official’ and that she is totally unconnected with Iranian affairs within the office”. FCO brief, 'Anglo-Iranian relations', 12 December 1972 “The seal on the very close and cordial relations was set by the successful visit of the Shah and the Empress in June… Iran is by far the leading customer for British defence equipment and last year took 22% of our total overseas defence sales.
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